Nursing Elites

1. A discharge planning nurse is making arrangements for a client with an epidural catheter for continuous infusion of opioids to be placed in a long-term care facility. The family prefers a facility in its neighborhood to facilitate visiting. The neighborhood facility has never cared for a client with this type of need. What is the most appropriate action by the discharge planning nurse?

• A. Arrange for immediate in-services for the long-term care facility staff on pain management using epidural catheters.
• B. Explain the situation to the client and family and seek another long-term care facility for discharge from the hospital.
• C. Encourage the family to hire private duty nurses skilled in epidural catheter pain management to allow the client to be transferred to the neighborhood facility.
• D. None of the above

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this scenario, the priority is the safety and well-being of the client. The neighborhood facility's lack of experience in caring for a client with an epidural catheter for continuous opioid infusion raises concerns about the quality of care they can provide. Therefore, the most appropriate action for the discharge planning nurse is to explain the situation to the client and family and seek another long-term care facility that can provide the necessary care. Option A, arranging for immediate in-services, may not be feasible or timely, considering the urgent need for appropriate care. Option C, encouraging the family to hire private duty nurses, does not ensure the facility's overall capability to manage the client's complex needs. Option D, 'None of the above,' is not the best choice as the client's safety should be the priority in this situation.

2. A nurse is supervising a new nursing graduate in various procedures. Which action by the new nursing graduate constitutes a negligent act?

• A. Giving a verbal report to the nurse on the oncoming shift
• B. Checking neurological signs in a client with a head injury
• C. Contacting a healthcare provider about a change in a client's blood pressure
• D. Using clean gloves to change a gastrostomy tube dressing

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Negligent acts in nursing include various errors that can harm the client, such as medication errors, intravenous therapy errors, burns, falls, failure to use aseptic technique, failure to provide adequate monitoring, and failure to report significant changes in a client's condition. In this scenario, using clean gloves to change a gastrostomy tube dressing is a negligent act because sterile gloves should be used when changing a dressing over broken skin. Choices A, B, and C are not negligent acts as they involve appropriate nursing actions: giving a verbal report, checking neurological signs, and contacting a healthcare provider about a change in a client's blood pressure.

3. In a centralized decision-making process within an organization, where is the authority to make decisions vested?

• A. Every employee
• B. A few individuals, such as the board of directors
• C. Many individuals, with decisions filtering down to the individual employee
• D. All nursing employees, pharmacists, and hospital health care providers

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In a centralized decision-making process within an organization, the authority to make decisions is concentrated in a few individuals, such as the board of directors. This means that key decision-making power is held by a select group at the top of the organizational hierarchy. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because in a centralized structure, decision-making authority is not distributed among every employee, does not filter down to individual employees, and is not shared among all nursing employees, pharmacists, or hospital health care providers. Centralized decision-making implies a more top-down approach.

4. Why is monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels important?

• A. to assess renal function
• B. to determine therapeutic range
• C. to measure trough levels
• D. to evaluate antibiotic resistance

Correct answer: B

Rationale: Monitoring Serum Vancomycin levels is essential to determine the drug's therapeutic range, ensuring optimal effectiveness while avoiding toxicity. Peak levels indicate the drug's highest concentration, while trough levels represent the lowest concentration before the next dose. Assessing renal function is typically done using creatinine, BUN, or creatinine clearance tests, not Serum Vancomycin levels. Evaluating antibiotic resistance involves sensitivity testing, not monitoring Vancomycin levels. Therefore, the correct answer is to determine the therapeutic range.

5. Which of the following enzymes is indicative of pancreatitis?

• A. alkaline phosphatase
• B. acid phosphatase
• C. creatine phosphokinase
• D. amylase

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Amylase is elevated in conditions of pancreatic inflammation, such as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is characterized by the inflammation of the pancreas, leading to the leakage of amylase into the bloodstream. Elevated levels of amylase are a key diagnostic marker for pancreatitis. Alkaline phosphatase is associated with liver and bone conditions, not pancreatitis. Acid phosphatase is more related to prostate health and is not specific to pancreatitis. Creatine phosphokinase is found in tissues like muscle and brain, and elevated levels are seen in conditions like muscle injury or heart attack, not pancreatitis.

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